My rats not very well?

Question

My rat has lost a lot of weight and is not being very active. He is also tilting to the left and appears to be blind in one eye. Hes not that old and it has come on suddenly (over the past few days) Do you think he has had a stroke? If so how is this treated?

Answer 1

Small animals dont have a very long lifespan he/she could be dieing.I dont know how long you have had him/her but the only way to be sure is to take it to the vet,it may only be a small problem or it could be a big problem.Anyway good luck and i hope your rat is ok

Answer 2

Could well be, which is serious.  The vets is definately the best port of call though.

Maj

Answer 3

well kill it then

Answer 4

It sounds like an inner ear infection, most likely caused by mycoplasma.  It's treatable and isn't a death sentence, but it can be hard to get rid of.  The head-tilt might be permanent even after treatment.  It is probably in the sinus cavities as well, causing problems in the eye.  It probably has been going on for a little while, but rats are very good at hiding their pain.

Your vet will probably have him put on baytril possibly with doxy (that's what I'd ask for) and may give the rat something for pain. It will need to be on antibiotics for at LEAST 3 weeks, if not more, at the discretion of your vet.  Your vet may want to do a culture to test for sensitivity.

Without treatment, the rat will die.  Expect it to run you about 100 dollars all said and done, if the vets near you charge as I do.  If you are prescribed Doxycyclin, ask for the prescription to bring to your local walmart.  They have a program that lets you pick up antibiotics that humans also use for 4 dollars, rather than the 20 or so you would pay for at the vet.      

Since it's not mentioned if you have any other rats, I just wanted to add as a sidenote; it's best to keep at least two to make sure that another can keep it company.  If you already have two great, I just wanted to make sure.

Answer 5

go take him to the vets. sounds like he has a problem......

Answer 6

He could've had a stroke. But it is also very likely he can have wry neck, an inner ear infection. If caught early enough it can be fixed.

Q. HEAD TILT

My rat’s head is tilted to one side and she’s having a hard time walking. She falls over sometimes and can’t get her balance back. What could be wrong with her?

A.

Her condition, commonly referred to as "wry neck" could be caused by a number of things, but the most likely cause is an inner ear infection. She will need to be seen by your vet to determine whether or not her eardrum is still intact and to decide upon the proper course of treatment. If the cause is an infection, she definitely will need to be treated with antibiotics from your vet, but he may also prescribe an ear drop which contains both a topical antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory drug.

In most cases with this treatment, it only takes a few days for a rat to get its balance back, but the treatment must be continued for at least one to two weeks.

Another possible cause of head tilt can be a pituitary tumor, which is more common in older female rats, but can be seen in younger rats and even in male rats. There is no treatment for this condition that will cure it, however, anti-inflammatory drugs, such as Prednisone or Dexamethasone, may reduce the swelling slightly and prolong the life of the rat for a short time. Spaying female rats is said to reduce the risk of pituitary tumors, but it is still no guarantee.

A stroke is another possibility. Again, it would be more common in older rats, but it’s not impossible for a younger rat to have a stroke. Anti- inflammatory drugs may help in this situation, too, but for the most part, only time will tell if the damage is permanent or not. In many cases, a full recovery from a stroke can be made in a short period of time (a few days to a week).

Answer 7

Hey come on. Your talking about someones pet here!!!! NOO dont feed it to a snake! Hey Daniel_2: Lets feed your pets to a snake, in fact lets feed you too. Hey --Kate-- Dont listen to that guy. He just thinks that since hes at home hes all safe. Hey Daniel_2 Come on Man!!! Dont be cruel.

Anyway, be ready for a really high vet bill. Im no expert on rats but i know it wont be cheap. I hope your little guy is alright.